The detrimental association between fear of falling and motor performance in older cancer patients with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.
Gu Eon Kang, Tamiko K Murphy, Mark E Kunik and 5 others
PMID 34091147WHAT IT FOUND
Older cancer survivors with chemotherapy-induced neuropathy and high fear of falling walked 16.1% slower and had 12.4% shorter strides than those with low fear.
Postural sway did not differ.
Key findings
01Older adults with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and high fear of falling walked 16.1% slower than those with low fear of falling.
02Older adults with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy and high fear of falling had 12.4% shorter stride length than those with low fear of falling.
03High and low fear of falling groups did not differ in quiet-standing postural sway among participants with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study included only 35 patients with CIPN and 16 controls, so it may not apply broadly. It was a secondary analysis of existing trial data, not a prospective test of whether fear of falling causes gait change. Most CIPN participants had severe foot numbness, so the result may not hold for milder neuropathy. Some CIPN participants were receiving chemotherapy during testing, which could affect gait independently of fear. The control group was selected to have no fear of falling, so control comparisons do not describe typical older adults. Vibration threshold measured plantar numbness only and did not predict fear, so neuropathy severity was not comprehensively captured.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The supplied publication type lists NIH extramural research support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that treating fear of falling will improve gait. The study showed an association between higher fear scores and slower walking in a small cross-sectional sample, not cause and effect.